"Young men make wars and the virtues of war are the virtues of young men: courage and hope for the future. Then old men make the peace, and the vices of peace are the vices of old men: mistrust and caution." -- Alec Guinness (Lawrence of Arabia)

MovieWes wrote:I am not so sure that Click is a good comparison to Bedtime Stories. Click was a PG-13 rated comedy targeted at teenagers and Bedtime Stories is a PG rated Disney movie targeted at children. The only similarities between the two are the fantasy elements and Adam Sandler.

true, the pg-13 may have kept some littler kids away, but i was just going off of what critics said. many claimed CLICK was sandler trying to branch out from his usual teenager-college crowd. the previews made the film seem much more focused on family and fantasy elements. i am happy to see it under THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON for both thursday and friday. it will probably pull ahead on saturday, but at least one of the three top films this long weekend will be well made.

"When it comes to the subject of torture, I trust a woman who was married to James Cameron for three years."-- Amy Poehler in praise of Zero Dark Thirty director Kathryn Bigelow

Well, I can tell you why The Spirit isn't doing well. As you guys know, my friends often have deplorable taste in movies. And generally, this kind of movie would be right up their alley. Only one of my friends didn't like Sin City, the rest adored it and they also liked 300 quite a lot. However, I can't think of more than 1 or 2 that actually wanted to see this movie.

My mother and I saw Valkyrie on Christmas day and we were both surprised at how packed the auditorium was. Matter of fact, it was a complete 180 from Thanksgiving when there was virtually no one in or at the theater we chose. So, obviously there were better influences for this season. My friends have agreed to see Benjamin Button, so we'll see that on Sunday.

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Wesley Lovell
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both." - Benjamin Franklin

I'm not insulted. In fact, I'm hoping you're right and it doesn't make $200 million. But, considering the intelligence of modern moviegoers, I am afraid that is too much to ask for. Sadly, it probably won't make less than $180 million.

I am not so sure that Click is a good comparison to Bedtime Stories. Click was a PG-13 rated comedy targeted at teenagers and Bedtime Stories is a PG rated Disney movie targeted at children. The only similarities between the two are the fantasy elements and Adam Sandler.

Edited By MovieWes on 1230398223

"Young men make wars and the virtues of war are the virtues of young men: courage and hope for the future. Then old men make the peace, and the vices of peace are the vices of old men: mistrust and caution." -- Alec Guinness (Lawrence of Arabia)

MovieWes wrote:Very, very strange. Marley and Me is going to be the WTF?! sleeper hit of the year with a possible $60 million 5-day haul, which means that it could make more than $200 million (making it this year's Alvin and the Chipmunks). The Curious Case of Benjamin Button will be at around $50 million after 5 days and will probably make north of $200 million. Not a huge surprise, though. Valkyrie is not doing bad at all and will have a $35-40 million 5-day haul and will probably make about $100-110 million, which is basically The Last Samurai territory. Bedtime Stories probably isn't going to be Adam Sandler's biggest hit, but it will make around $150 million by the end of its run.

I'm so glad that nobody is going to see The Spirit. It looks damn near unwatchable.

do not be insulted moviewes, but i sure hope you are wrong about MARLEY AND ME making more than $200 m. that truly would be the equivalent of ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS making so much money -- just disgusting and ridiculous. i am hoping everyone who wants to see the damn movie will have seen it by sunday. even if it has good word of mouth, it will have exhausted its audience base and very few people will go to see it the next weekend and the weekends after that. if it makes $120 m like FOUR CHRISTMASES, it will be far less painful.

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON is doing well and deserves success most of all the new films released this holiday weekend. though i have problems with the film, i do think it is magical. it will probably have pretty good word of mouth, though i do think the long running time was pretty tough for people. then if it sweeps the oscar nominations like many of us are assuming, it will get a very nice box office boost from that. i think the $150 m range is quite possible with many oscar noms, and $200 is only possible with many oscar wins including best picture.

i am sure tom cruise is breathing a little easier. you are right moviewes, VALKYRIE will probably just limp past $100 m like THE LAST SAMURAI did. i am surprised BEDTIME STORIES is in third place. that may change by the end of the weekend. considering sandler's last child-friendly film CLICK only made $137 m, i am assuming parents just do not want to take their kids to see the usually raunchy movie star. also, his usual teenager and college crowd do not want to see him in kid-friendly mode. i am surprised THE SPIRIT is so far down. i figured the fanboys would at least be able to secure a healthy opening weekend even if the movie ultimately bombed.

all around, a very interesting christmas movie weekend.

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"When it comes to the subject of torture, I trust a woman who was married to James Cameron for three years."-- Amy Poehler in praise of Zero Dark Thirty director Kathryn Bigelow

Very, very strange. Marley and Me is going to be the WTF?! sleeper hit of the year with a possible $60 million 5-day haul, which means that it could make more than $200 million (making it this year's Alvin and the Chipmunks). The Curious Case of Benjamin Button will be at around $50 million after 5 days and will probably make north of $200 million. Not a huge surprise, though. Valkyrie is not doing bad at all and will have a $35-40 million 5-day haul and will probably make about $100-110 million, which is basically The Last Samurai territory. Bedtime Stories probably isn't going to be Adam Sandler's biggest hit, but it will make around $150 million by the end of its run.

I'm so glad that nobody is going to see The Spirit. It looks damn near unwatchable.

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"Young men make wars and the virtues of war are the virtues of young men: courage and hope for the future. Then old men make the peace, and the vices of peace are the vices of old men: mistrust and caution." -- Alec Guinness (Lawrence of Arabia)

christmas is always a busy time for movies, but this is the first christmas weekend i remember to have 5 new wide releases.

BEDTIME STORIES, THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON, MARLEY AND ME, THE SPIRIT, and VALKYRIE will all be competing for audiences on december 25.

in this showdown, i think BEDTIME STORIES has the best shot at number 1 since kids and their parents are stupid. THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON will come in second for all the folks without kids. MARLEY AND ME will probably come in third, with THE SPIRIT and VALKYRIE close behind. YES MAN will come in at number 6, and various other films will follow.

hopefully THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON has a solid opening holiday weekend, and stays strong the following weeks with good word of mouth. january has absolutely no big releases, but the few remaining oscar hopefuls will expand throughout that month. looking forward to REVOLUTIONARY ROAD.

"When it comes to the subject of torture, I trust a woman who was married to James Cameron for three years."-- Amy Poehler in praise of Zero Dark Thirty director Kathryn Bigelow

It looks as if Will Smith's streak has finally been broken. Seven Pounds will be his lowest grossing picture since Ali. $85 million tops for this one. On a high note, though, Yes Man is also a flop as well. It will top out at around $95 million at best. The big hit of the holiday season will now be either Bedtime Stories or The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Hopefully it will be the latter, but the Sandler flick will probably appeal to the same audience that made Night at the Museum the second highest grossing film of 2006.

"Young men make wars and the virtues of war are the virtues of young men: courage and hope for the future. Then old men make the peace, and the vices of peace are the vices of old men: mistrust and caution." -- Alec Guinness (Lawrence of Arabia)

Okri wrote:Mamma Mia! is now the highest grossing film in UK history, outpacing Titanic.

MAMMA MIA's boxoffice success is quite fascinating. yeah, abba is "popular" all around the world, and the musical is pretty much pure "fun" if you like sacchrine musicals...but still! the movie has made almost $428 million outside of the united states alone. that places it third in terms of highest international grosses, with only about $25 m separating it from THE DARK KNIGHT and THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL. this could easily change since MAMMA MIA has not even opened in japan yet; and while i am not sure how the japanese feel about abba, they seem to like musicals -- $27 m for CHICAGO and $16 m for DREAMGIRLS.

in sweden MAMMA MIA made $24 m, which is impressive since the next two biggest films this year were QUANTUM OF SOLACE with $8 m and THE DARK KNIGHT with $7 m.

i am surprised the film did not do better in australia, since i first learned about abba from watching australian films. THE DARK KNIGHT made the most there with $39 m, and MAMMA MIA came next with $29 m. however, THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL, SEX AND THE CITY, and KUNG FU PANDA were all only a couple million dollars behind, so the musical clearly did not impress all that much.

"When it comes to the subject of torture, I trust a woman who was married to James Cameron for three years."-- Amy Poehler in praise of Zero Dark Thirty director Kathryn Bigelow

Yeah, Role Models got better reviews than many of the other big holiday releases such as Quantum of Solace and Twilight.

"Young men make wars and the virtues of war are the virtues of young men: courage and hope for the future. Then old men make the peace, and the vices of peace are the vices of old men: mistrust and caution." -- Alec Guinness (Lawrence of Arabia)

Movies are, to many, a form of escapism, which means they go to get away from their lives. That small bit of money is their only form of entertainment sometimes as sitting at home often feels like a waste of time when one has the day or the weekend off.

As for Role Models, that film actually got some solid reviews. Nothing earth shattering or anything, but it certainly shouldn't be lumped into a group with Four Christmases or Step Brothers.

Wesley Lovell

"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both." - Benjamin Franklin

OscarGuy wrote:I think the failure at the box office also has something to do with how terrible the film looks in the preview. It looked horrid...I couldn't have imagined anyone wanting to see it, let alone doing so.

i do not understand why people go to see most movies coming out of hollywood.

i get the appeal of big movies like THE DARK KNIGHT, IRON MAN, TROPIC THUNDER, etc., but just the low budget garbage that seems even worst than some youtube videos which end up being modest hits just saddens me -- ROLE MODELS, FOUR CHRISTMASES, STEP BROTHERS, etc.

do all the smart people just not go to movies? how can people supposedly be losing their home and not have enough money for food, yet they can put down $10, plus snacks and gas money, weekend after weekend for just unmitigated crap? it is so bizarre.

"When it comes to the subject of torture, I trust a woman who was married to James Cameron for three years."-- Amy Poehler in praise of Zero Dark Thirty director Kathryn Bigelow